Melissa Carmichael, who prefers to go by the name of Mels, is a reporter for the Caldwell Courier Journal. On her way home from work, a man stumbles in front of her car as she drives past the cemetery. She brakes too late and hits the man, causing him to flip into the air. As her car crashes, they are both sent to the hospital to recover. Mels visits the man she hit after she is discharged from the hospital, only to learn that he has amnesia and that he stirs something inside of Mels ...

The details concerning the identity of the hero have been kept quiet. However, readers don't have to wait long to figure out who he is. Ward reveals his identity in the first chapter, yet it definitely creates a level of interest as readers speculate who he is.

Though more slow-moving than the previous novels in the series, Ward hooks readers in with her signature writing style. Her descriptions are wholly her own with a touch of slang and that confident swagger that fits so well with the Fallen Angels world she has created.

Ward explores the aftermath of the events in Envy as Adrian and Jim try to keep a grip on their sanity. Without the presence of Eddie, Adrian has been out of control, experiencing bouts of depression and aggressive behaviour. The team is unraveling and I think it will cause readers to sympathize with them as they read about their struggles.

Meanwhile, Ward spends some time developing Devina's character. Up to this point, readers have seen her as devious, ruthless and manipulative. However, Ward creates more layers than an onion as she expertly explores Devina's OCD tendencies to reflect a more tortured side to the demon.

I love that Ward is able to intersperse the Fallen Angels world with some details from the Black Dagger Brotherhood, her other red hot paranormal series. Recognizing familiar characters and details makes for a more enriched reading experience and creates a lot of excitement for hardcore BDB fans.

RAPTURE is another sizzling page-turner from one of the premier authors of romance. J.R. Ward never fails to deliver a spellbinding story. Brimming with danger and sexy passion, readers get lucky with a spicy taste of adventure and romance. J.R. Ward is always a must read.

Book Summary

Out of the wickedly inventive imagination of #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward comes a world where sin and salvation collide in a battle for the future of mankind—where a cynical fallen angel struggles against the seven deadly sins and a demon’s lure over seven chosen souls…

Mels Carmichael, reporter for the Caldwell Courier Journal, gets the shock of her life when a man stumbles in front of her car outside the local cemetery. After the accident, his amnesia is just the kind of mystery she likes to solve, but she soon discovers they’re in over their heads with his past. Over their heads with passion, too...

As shadows walk the line between reality and another realm, and her lover’s memory begins to come back, the two of them learn that nothing is truly dead and buried. Especially when you’re trapped in a no holds barred war between angels and demons. With a soul on the line, and Mels’s heart at risk, what in Heaven—or in Hell—will it take to save them both?